Count it all joy sounds easy but it’s not always. Joy must be cultivated. There will be days when joy exudes naturally. On other days it will be dormant and will need to be coaxed out of hiding.
Happiness is elusive. Joy is a choice. Outside forces can impact happiness. We can choose to be joyful or miserable. Our circumstances need not impact our level of joy. James encourages us to “count it all joy” so that we would be mature and lack nothing.
Galatians 5:22-23 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. Against such things, there is no law.
Jesus never promised us a life of ease and comfort.
The Apostles of Christ warned us of trials, tribulations, and future suffering (what does the Bible say about suffering article).
God, in His infinite wisdom, designed us to thrive in the midst of adversity.
Why? You will need to ask Him.
“There is no university for a Christian,
like that of sorrow and trial,”
— Charles Spurgeon
Count It All Joy
James 1:2-4 Consider it all joy, my brothers and sisters, when you encounter various trials, knowing that the testing of your faith produces endurance. And let endurance have its perfect result, so that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing.
Our perspectives must change if we’re to walk in joy. James encourages us to “consider it all” joy when life gets tough. Why? Because trials help us to grow up in Christ and become mature believers.
We’ve all encountered that person who throws their sucker in the sand and throws a fit when life gets tough. That person is destined for a life of disappointment.
Tap the brakes the next time something uncomfortable happens in your life. How can this situation help you grow up spiritually?
Don’t waste a good trial! If we fail the test it will just return on a different day.
Let’s all pinky promise to tweak our perspectives the next time life gets troublesome.
For The Joy Set Before Him
Hebrews 12:2 Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith; who for the joy that was set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God.
Jesus saw the end from the beginning. He was aware of the pain, anguish, and shame that was on the horizon. Instead of drawing back, He allowed joy to propel Him. He saw the invisible and did the seemingly impossible.
There will be times when we face circumstances and will have a full understanding of the inevitable suffering. In those times, we can choose joy or comfort but rarely both.
We can do what is right or what is easy.
Jesus, truly God and truly man, endured torture, embarrassment, shame, and betrayal with joy.
Joy is powerful!
None Of These Things Move Me
The Apostle Paul was on a missionary journey when his friends began to warn him of potential danger. They ostensibly were encouraging him to avoid conflict. The Holy Spirit even warned him of chains and tribulations.
Acts 20:22-24 And see, now I go bound in the spirit to Jerusalem, not knowing the things that will happen to me there, except that the Holy Spirit testifies in every city, saying that chains and tribulations await me. But none of these things move me; nor do I count my life dear to myself, so that I may finish my race with joy, and the ministry which I received from the Lord Jesus, to testify to the gospel of the grace of God.
He was undeterred from his mission, though.
When I hear someone declare, “Christianity is boring, bro” I realize that they are only playing church.
Here is a brief list of the “boring” things Paul experienced because of his commitment to Christ:
- 39 Stripes — five times
- Beaten with rods — three times
- Stoned to death — once
- Shipwrecked — three times
- Floating aimlessly in the sea — one night and one day
Despite all of this anguish, Paul’s primary focus was to finish his race — with joy. Finishing it joylessly was not an option.
Too many of us Christians are going through life without joy.
When our circumstances turn south we broadcast it from the highest point of social media. Everyone is going to know that our order at the restaurant was wrong, that our pay was frozen, and we had a flat tire.
Paul practiced just the opposite behavior. He knew how to live in poverty and prosperity. His approach to life was the same whether or not he was sick.
He was hyper-focused on finishing his race with joy.
One more thing — It’s also believed that Paul was killed by beheading.
His style of Christianity was anything but boring.
Be Glad With Exceeding Joy
I Peter 4:12-13 Beloved, do not think it strange concerning the fiery trial which is to try you, as though some strange thing happened to you; but rejoice to the extent that you partake of Christ’s sufferings, that when His glory is revealed, you may also be glad with exceeding joy.
I am unclear as to when suffering became a dirty word in the Church. A life free from suffering was definitely foreign to the Apostle Peter. He discussed suffering often and consistently tied suffering to joy.
Sufferings, in Peter’s opinion, were the rule, not the exception. It sounded like an everyday occurrence in the life of this apostle.
He then proceeded to exhort us to rejoice in our sufferings. When suffering happens—not if—we should be joyful.
That type of talk will rarely get an “amen” in church but it found its way into the Word of God.
Honesty is the Best Policy
We must stop lying about the challenges we face as Christians. Yes, God abundantly provides love, joy, and peace and our lives will improve because of those things. However, there will be times when we must use love, joy, and peace as weapons simply to survive a life of turmoil.
Jesus is not a genie granting wishes and promising a life of rainbows and unicorns.
He’s our Savior and our King. We submit and cling to Him no matter how stormy our lives become.
Survival is often dependent upon The Joy of the Lord in our lives.
Benediction
To Him who is able to keep you from stumbling and to present you before His glorious presence without fault and with great joy—to the only God our Savior be glory, majesty, power and authority, through Jesus Christ our Lord, before all ages, now and forevermore! Amen.